ArticleSkeletal radiology2022
CT-guided transforaminal epidural steroid injection for discogenic lumbar radiculopathy: influence of contrast dispersion and radiologist's experience on clinical outcome.
Article in Skeletal radiology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparative study of long-term efficacy of spinal fusion surgery and non-surgical treatment for chronic radicular lumbar disease.Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992) · 2025Trial
- Pain relief after CT-guided pars injections in lumbar spondylolysis: analysis of MRI findings and CT-contrast distribution.European radiology · 2026Article
- Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injection Technique: Fluoroscopy-Guided Minimally Invasive Injection for Lower Limb Radiculopathy-Twelve Golden Steps.The Indian journal of radiology & imaging · 2026Article
- Spine injections: the rationale for CT guidance.Skeletal radiology · 2023Review
- Predictive value of immediate pain relief after lumbar transforaminal epidural injection with local anesthetics and steroids for single level radiculopathy.Skeletal radiology · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo investigate the impact of contrast dispersion pattern/location during lumbar CT-guided transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) and experience of the performing radiologist on therapeutic outcome. MATERIALS AND
methodsIn this single-center retrospective cohort study, two observers analyzed contrast dispersion during CT-guided TFESI of 204 patients (age 61.1 ± 14 years) with discogenic unilateral single-level L4 or L5 radiculopathy. The contrast dispersion pattern was classified as "focal," "linear," or "tram-track"; the location was divided into "extraforaminal," "foraminal," or "recessal." Pain was assessed before and 4 weeks after treatment using a numerical rating scale (0, no pain; 10, intolerable pain). Additionally, the patient global impression of change (PGIC) was assessed. The TFESI was performed by musculoskeletal radiologists (experience range: first year of musculoskeletal fellowship training to 19 years). Contrast pattern/location and radiologist's experience were compared between "good responder" (≥ 50% pain reduction) and "poor responder" (< 50%). A p-value < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.
resultsOverall, CT-guided TFESI resulted in a substantial pain reduction in 46.6% of patients with discogenic radiculopathy. The contrast dispersion pattern and location had no effect on pain relief (p = 0.75 and p = 0.09) and PGIC (p = 0.70 and p = 0.21) 4 weeks after TFESI. Additionally, the experience of the radiologist had no influence on pain reduction (p = 0.92) or PGIC (p = 0.75). Regarding pre-interventional imaging findings, both the location and grading of nerve compression had no effect on pain relief (p = 0.91 and p = 0.85) and PGIC (p = 0.18 and p = 0.31).
conclusionOur results indicate that neither contrast agent dispersion/location nor the experience of the radiologist allows predicting the therapeutic outcome 4 weeks after the procedure.
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